Internal-combustion engine



.Nov. 15, 1927.

fzvezzfor ii 6 J2. C7207" 5" 5 MW y Y fi -v J A CHARTER INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Juliv Patented Nov. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE}.

JAMES A. CHARTER, OFCHIC AGO, ILLINOIS.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed July 24, 1924. Serial No. 728,029;

This invention relates tov internal combustion enginesparticularly those'of the rotary sleeve valve'type. The object of the invention is to provide new and improved means for lubricating the sleeve valve as it in means for bringing oil to such a position that it can so pass through the material of the sleeve.

Similarly,

of a cylinder wall against which the sleeve rotates and 'supplying tha't portion ofsaid cylinder wall with oil so that it can pass through the porous wall to the surface to be lubricated.

The invention further consists innumerous' features and details of construction which will be hereafter morefully set forth in the specification and claims,

The single figure of the drawings-shows a vertical sectional detail View through an enine of this class illustrating this invention in its preferred form.

Generically speaking. the drawing shows a conventional crank case 10. supporting the stationary outercylinder 12 provided with'a conventional water jacket system 14 and a removable upper head 16 equipped witha spark plug 18, there being inside the cylinder 12 andretained at'its upper end in position by the head 16 an inner'cylinder 20 spaced apart from the outer cylinder so as to provide a cylindrical cavity within which the sleeve valve 22 rotates in conventional manner under power supplied through a worm 24 to a gear 26 at the bottom of valve 22. The problem solved by this invention is to positively effectively lubricate the cylindrical surface 28 between stationary inner cylinder 20 and rotatable sleeve valve 22. Generically speaking. this is accomplished by making the inner cylinder 20 in two cylindrical parts 20 and 20 shrunk to the invention consists inthe use of such porous material and at least a portion as above referred to. tlons, the vacuum would be established at' gether or otherwise so constructed as to leave,

a cyllndrical oil space 30 between the two parts up which oil may travel to seep through the cylinder portion 20 which is preferably of such material the oil can do this. In practice, low carbon gray cast iron has produced satisfactory results. Of course the 011 does not pass rapidly as through a s eve but it does pass fast enough for ractical purposes, The result is also aide and asslsted by making the sleeve valve 22 itself 1n two separate cylinders 22 and 22" shrunk or otherwise secured together in such a posit1on as to leave an annular space 32 between them up whichoil can pass to ultimately seep through the more or less porous portion 22 and 22 to oil them to such a degree as to oil the surfaces on which they rub but not to an excess of oil so as to cause smoke from the engine. The same degree of oiling is accomphshed in the cylinder 20, through its wall surface'22 To lift oil into the cavityv 30 of the cylinder and also cavity formed in'the sleeve valve 32, the vacuum set up in the manifold 1500f the engine is employed or the vacuum on the intake side of the engines oil pump at- 152 can also be utilized to act to the same end or purpose to set up a vacuum in space 76 and connection 78 therefrom. When the lifted into the cavities 30 and 32 of the above mentioned parts. It is preferable to shut out the vacuum from space 76 at such times as the motor is under very light or no load conditions and thereby prevent over-oiling Under loaded condispace 76 and the required amount of oil would betsupplied to take care of proper oiling of the moving parts thereof. In the case-of using the vacuum from the oil pumps intake side, it would be preferable to use a valve connected to pipe 78, the spigot in. this valve to be inter-connected'to the stem of the damper 86 of the carbureter or any other part of the motor which moves in comparat-ively the same manner or time as the damper does in relation "to the speed and load conditions of the engine, or the vacuum valve 80 could be used by modifying the size of ports. and connecting pipe 82 into the opening 152 of the vacuum to the oil pump.

It. should be noted that in forming the annular oil recess inside the inner cylinder and inside the sleeve valve that care is taken not to cut into conventional port openings 34 and 36 or any other standard valve openings in the parts named; n

Crank case 10 within which crank shaft 38 conventionally driven by piston 40 rotates is conventionally provided with a predetermined amount of oil 42. Adjacent to the crank case is a pump 44, driven in any suitable manner, as for, instance, by a shaft 46 energized directly or indirectly by the same source of power which drives the shaft 48 of worm 24. The intake pipe 50 of pump 44 enters the bottom of crank case 10 and draws oil 42 therefrom, delivering it via pipe 52 and port 54 to the top of worm 24- and gear 26, thus constantly lubricating these parts and maintaining a supply of oil at passage 56 through which it can travel into oil space 32 inside of sleeve valve 22. The supply of oil at the gear-and worm can also travel through passage 58 to oil space 30 in the middle of inner cylinder wall 20. The result of the construction just described is that the lower portions of oil spaces 30 and 32 are constantly supplied with oil which can be in the manner described drawn up these spaces and to the surface 28 between the cylindrical members 20 and 22. In case, in heavy duty engine work, the suction above referred to is insufficient to provide satisfactory lubrication, the oil from pump 44 may be forced through a pipe 60 provided for the purpose, to an intake port- 62, delivering to the annular space 32 of valve 22 at any desired point along the vertical length of the sleeve valve. This intake port 62 may deliver to the space 32 either through one or more registering holes 64 in section 22 of the sleeve valve or through a continuous annular recess 66 extending around member 22' and affording opportunity for a continuous flow of oil from pipe 60 into space Again, oil so forced into space 32 may be forced through registering passages (55 in members 22 and 20? into space 30 in the inner cylinder and it may be carried up between these members in spiral grooves 67 provided for the purpose.

In addition to the devices described for getting oil to the space 32 in sleeve valve 22, there may be provided, if desired, an annular oil space 68 with openings 69 below the end of the sleeve valve, the same communicating through a. vertically extending passage 70 controlled by check-valve 72 with thelower end of cylindrical oil'space 32. lVhen the suction heretofore referredto is sufficient to lift valve 72, oil will pass from space 68 a pipe 78 passing through a control valve.

mechanism 80. to a pipe entering the carbureter 84 between its control damper 86 and ..l;l16 engine so that the vacuum set, up between the carburetor and the engine causes a suction within the chamber 7 S which, operating outhe upper ends'of spaces 30 and 32 tends to draw oil from the bottom of'the cylinder up through said spaces 30 and 32 to their tops. By thus constantly maintaining oil in the spaces 30 and 32 in close proximity to surface 28 and 22", the oil tends, to work through the porous materials of the adjacent parts and thus lubricates the rotation surface 28. The inner cylinder, which is made up of the two parts on walls 20 and 20 can be made, if desired, with wall 20 of a harder material than wall 20', it being one of the principal objects tohave the wall 20 more porous than wall 20 to permit oil to percolate through the surface 28; In the case of the sleeve made up of members 22 and 22", both of these would ordinarily be made of a cast metal that was quite porous, then the oil within the two component parts could percolate through and oil both surfaces of the sleeve.

Oil space 88, adjacent gear 26, is provided with an overflow pipe 90 leading back to the interior of crank case 10. In view of the fact that this overflow pipe 90 maintains oil constantly up to the top of oil space 88, it is obvious that because of the presence of passages 56, oil within space 88 can always reach spiral grooves 92 in the sleeve 22, immediately adjacent to surface 28, which serve to carry the oil in conventional manner up the sleeve and thus further assist in lubricating the surface 28. Valve device is preferably, but not necessarily, an automatic valve controlled by the vacuun'i set up in the opening 82 which communicates with the carburetor. It is so constructed that when the engine is running with the regulator damper 86 almost closed, the vacclose off communication between pipes 78 and 82. lVhen in this position, a small amount of air passes in through holes 100 in the top of the valve case 80, down through ports. 102 in piston 94 and through pipe 80 hum is suliiciently high to draw the piston to the carbur'eter, thus holding valve 98 closed, completely shutting off the vacuum from the top of the sleeves and cylinders; but, if the damper 86 is opened, the spring Will have suflicient tension to rise against the partial Vacuum tending to draw it downward and thereby open communication with the sleevethrough pipe 7 8 and port 104' to the carbureter and during that position, the vacuum is lifting oil upward in. cylinder spaces and 32. The tension of spring 96 should be so arranged as to only permit oiling when the engine is doing some considerable amount of work, the vacuum being shut off when the engine is running idle or without load, that being the condition which causes the greatestvacuum, as when no load is. applied, the damper 86 is almost-com.- pletely closed, thereby causing the highest vacuum.

The invention is not limited to an automatic valve of the type described as there could be substituted for valve mechanism 80 an ordinary valve with an opening which when properly positioned would establish communication to permit the vacuum to act and the spigot in this valve could be interconnected with the damper 86 so that the same result would be obtained by proper linking of the valve to the damper allowing it to open onl ing under some oad and at that time permittingthe vacuum to act upon the various parts heretofore described. Obviously the vacuum may be produced at the top of the cylinder through entirely independent suct1on means not entering into this inventlon and therefore not shown. 1

This invention is founded on the fact that a very porous casting will pass oil the same as filter stone will pass water, the intense heat of the oil in an operating engine tending to boil it out through the porous casting. In addition to the devices heretofore mentioned, the difference in temperature of the top and bottom of the engine helps to lift. the oil up passages 30 and 32, thus prosuction in passage 76 tends to draw .oil

from passage 30 through wal.-20, thus'lubricating the surface of same. I Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: r

1. In an engine two relatively movable members, contacting on a-common surface to be lubricated, one member being of porous material through which oil can pass, a

source of oil and suction'means tending to when the engine is work-.

move oil through the porous material to the surface to be lubricated. 1

2. In an engine two relativelyv movable members, contacting on a common surface to be lubricated, one member being of porous material through which oil can pass,v

a source of oil, and means created by the operation of the engine tending to move oil through the porous material to the surface to be lubricated. I

3. In an engine two relatively movable members contacting on a common surface to be lubricated, one member being of porous material through which oil can pass, a source of oil and suction means created by the operation of the engine tending to move oil through the porous material to thesurface to be lubricated.

4. In an engine two relatively'movable members,contacting on a common surface to be lubricated, one member being of porous materialthrough which oil can pass, a source of oil, and means created by the operation of the engine tending to move oil through the porous material to the surface to-be lubricated in proportion to the work required of the engine.

5. In'an engine two relatively movable -members, contacting on a common surface to be lubricated, one member being of porous material through which oil can pass, a source of oil and suction means created by the operation of theengine tending to move oil through the porous material to the sur-v work required of the engine.

6. In an engine structure having two vertical cylinders, one rotatable with reference to the other, one of which is porous for the passage-of oil,rmeans supplying oil and means sucking oil up the cylinders and through theporous one to thereby lubricate the contact surface between them.

7.. In an engine, an upright cylinder made face to'be lubricated inproportion to the .with an internal annular recess open at its bottom, extending toward its top, means supplying oil to the lower end of the cylinder and means sucking oil up inside said recess. v

8. In an engine, an upright cylinder made bottom, extending toward its top, means supplying oil to the lower end of the cylinder, means sucking tilup inside said recess, and means simultaneously rotating said cylinder.

with an internal annular recess opcn at its lit) 9. In an engine, an upright cylinder made with an internal annular recess open at its bottom, extending toward its top, means so plying oil to the lower end .of the cyl in er and means created bythe operation of the engine and in proportion to its work sucking oil up inside said recessl 10. In an engine, an upright cylinder made with an internal annular recess open at its bottom extending toward its top, means supplying oil to the lower end of the cylinder, means created by the operation of the engine and in proportion to its work sucking oil up inside said recess,'and means simultaneously rotating said cylinder.

11. The herein described method of lubrieating an engine consistin in applying a porous material to the surtace to be lubricated and by suitable mechanism sucking lubricant through said porous material to said surface.

12. In an engine, two relatively movable members, contacting on a common surface to be lubricated, one member being of porous material through which oil can pass and p'ro vided with a recess of substantially the dimensions of the porous material member throughwhich oil can reach all parts of the porous material, a source of oil and suction means tending to move oil through said recess and the porous material to the surface to be lubricated.

13. In an engine, two relatively movable members, contacting on acommon surface to be lubricated, one member being of porous 'material through which oil can pass, and

provided with a recess of substantially the dimensions of the porous material member through which oil can reach all parts of the porous material, a source of oil, and means created by the operation of the engine tending to move oil through said recess and the porous material to the surface to be lubricated.

14. In an engine, two relatively movable members, contacting on a common surface to be lubricated, one member being of porous material through which oil can pass, and provided with a recess of substantially the dimensions of the porous material member through which oil can reach all parts of the porous material, a source of oil and suction means created by the operation of the engine tending to move oil through said recess and the porous material to the surface to be lubricated.

15. In an engine two relatively movablev members, contacting on a common surface to be lubricated, one member being of porous material through which oil can pass, and provided with a recess of substantially the dimensions of the porous material member through which oil can reach all parts of the provided with a recess of substantially the dimensions of the porous material member through which oil can reach all parts of the porous material, a source of oiland suction means created by the operation of the engine tending to move oil through said recess and the porous material to the surface to be lusleeve rotatable with reference thereto, there being openings from the cylinder and from the sleeve leading to a space at or near the top of the cylinder and sleeve, means creating a vacuum in said space, and means operated by the engine and regulated by its load determining the amount of vacuum in said space.

19. In an engine having a verticalcylinder and a rotatable valve contacting each other, one of said members being porous and provided with means permitting oil to move up through the porous material to a space formed in proximity to the top of the porous material member, means creating a vacuum in said space and a valve interposed between sald space and the vacuum creating means automatically regulating, in propor tion to the load on the engine, the vacuum created in said space.

20. In an engine, a hollow cylinder, and a sleeve rotatable with reference thereto, there being openings from the cylinder and from the sleeve Riing to a space at or near the top of the cy'iinder and sleeve, means creating'a vacuum in said space, and a valve 80 interposedbetween said space and the vacuum creating means automatically regulating, in proportion to the load on the engine, the vacuum created in said space- 21. Awalve for use in the art described, comprising an external case provided with two ports, one connectible to asuction device, the other to a passage in which a. vacuum is to be created, a valve movable in the case toclose connection between said ports or to leave them open, and a'spring tending to hold the parts in the last position, there being through the valve and case openings permitting passage of air through the case to the first mentioned port while the piston valve closes the second mentioned port.

22. .A valve for use in the art described, comprising an external case provided with. two ports, one connectible to a suction device, the other to a passage in which a vacunm is to be created, a reciprocal piston valve, movable in the case to close connection between said ports or to leave them open, and a spring tending to hold the arts in the last position, there being throng the reciprocal piston valve and case 0 enings permitting passage of air through e case to the first mentioned port while the reciprocal piston valve closes the second mentioned port. v

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JAMES A. CHARTER. 

